LOUDONVILLE — The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum in Loudonville has announced that the museum is open again for tours, after first closing down in late-March as part of the statewide lockdown.
According to Kenny Libben, curator of the museum, the continued shutdown was in order to allow the board and staff to work with volunteers and state officials to determine what steps would be necessary to ensure the safety of volunteers and visitors alike.
“Everyone knows about distancing and sanitizing, but one of the problems in a museum like ours is that sanitizing agents can severely damage historic artifacts,” Libben noted, “so we have to take extra steps to help prevent contamination on these items.”
For the time being, the museum will require appointments for tours. Libben noted that there is no minimum number of guests needed for an appointment, and that all are welcome. The appointment requirement, he explained, allows staff to limit the number of guests and properly sanitize between groups.
Additional precautions include asking guests not to touch any artifacts, including interactive ones, and to keep masks on at all times as required by the state.
The museum also announced that the annual Speaker Series — a widely popular forum that draws hundreds of guests to each event — has been forced to restructure.
“Obviously we can’t bring a hundred-plus people into the same room right now, so we’re working on scheduling virtual programs that will allow everyone to watch from the comfort of their home,” concluded Libben.
For updates on those speakers, the museum encourages interested persons to contact the museum and be subscribed to their free email newsletter. Once speakers are announced, subscribers will be provided information and links to those events.
The museum thanked Ohio Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Federal CARES Act of 2020 for support with reopening and social-distancing programs. Anyone with questions regarding appointments, speakers, or other events are encouraged to call the museum at 419 994-4050, or visit www.crfmuseum.com.
